What do I need?
 

Hi all, I'm 25 years old and looking to move away from the UK. I currently work in the City of London, in the property Insurance industry.

I have heard of quite a few people that have moved to Hungary, are their immigration Laws strict? Do I need a job before moving to Hungary and is moving to Hungary expensive?

Any advise, will be appreciated. Thanks:)

Re: What do I need?
 

Brexit is looming on the horizon and moving here from 2021 will be more difficult than it is at present. That doesn't give you a lot of time.
If you need to work then you need to be able to grasp at least the basics of the language. Currently, you also need to prove either savings or a means to provide an income.
That's just for starters, there is a lot more to consider.

Re: What do I need?
 

Thank you for the reply. I agree with what you are saying. If I was to move to a foreign country, I would expect to learn the language.

I have been saving last 3 years, at £5,000 a year. Would I need to save quite a bit more before considering moving?

Re: What do I need?
 

You will need to look into health care. You may have to go down the private health care route.
With the current state of affairs on travelling restrictions due to coronavirus you will need a very good reason to move here, have somewhere to live, an important job(skills in short supply in Hungary), sufficient funds not to become a burden on the state, etc.
Maybe for a job you could look into companies looking for English speaking employees. You'll need to decide whether to stay in insurance or something different.
Looking ahead where will you live? As mentioned above with travelling restrictions you won't be able to visit Hungary to look at potential rental properties because you may need to quarantine for 14 days. Who will bring you food and drink during that time? When you return to UK you may have to quarantine again!
I personally think it's the wrong time to think of moving to Hungary or any other country, EU or not, but if a job offer comes up you will have to look into the pros and cons, how much help your new employer will give you to settle in Hungary and then make a decision.
My wife is Hungarian and we moved here last July. No regrets! There is quite a bit of paperwork to sort out, I.e. resident status, address card, (if employed) tax card, health care, driving licence, etc. With regards to driving licence you may, after 31/12/2020, have to take a Hungarian driving test, maybe not so check this out if you have a driving licence.
In the meantime, keep saving, learn Hungarian, visit this forum, ask questions, research properties to rent or buy, visit Hungary when restrictions ease, be patient until the right opportunity comes up, then jump ship and join the other Britsh Expats living here.

Re: What do I need?
 

Nicely put.

Re: What do I need?
 

Thank you for this, that has helped a lot. Current circumstances do make things more complicated. However, it is good to know what is needed, if I'm going to make the move.

Re: What do I need?
 

Check out any news about Hungary, I.e. visit online news websites, such as Hungary Today https://hungarytoday.hu . There are some UK newspapers which report on things happening in Hungary so you should also check these out too. Some of them are very critical about the Hungarian government's stance on refugees and immigration. Some reading about Hungary's history is essential, as well as the political climate, and you may not be comfortable with their history and the government's political views so you will need to decide if you could live here. Most, or all of us here, regard ourselves as a guest of Hungary and have no interest in engaging in Hungarian politics (correct me if I am wrong). We like it here and want it to stay that way!
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Re: What do I need?
 

I agree with you FenTiger. As guest of Hungary and we are guest because we are not citizens here, we would all do well to remember that we as outsiders have no right to tell our Host how they should conduct their governmental policies. So, anyone considering moving here should remember that we are outsiders. You would do well to not engage in talk about politics with the locals because you may not like being told its none of your affair as an outsider. I would also state that once you leave the home country you have no right to expect things to be as they were back home. If you like the status quo back home then Hungary is probably not for you.

Lastly, I want anyone considering becoming an expat anywhere in the world to remember that most expats will return to their home country in less than 12 months because they want things to be exactly as they were back home. They miss being in daily physical contact with friends and family, they miss the food from back home and they are overwhelmed by the differences between home and Hungary. I know several whom came here to Hungary that left in less than a year and went back to the UK because of cultural shock.. I would recommend making a personal holiday to Hungary and staying a couple weeks before deciding if you want to move here.. I would also recommend not buying property at first. Rent an apartment or house after you come here to live and work because if you buy a property and then decide to return back home you may encounter a long wait to sell the property unless it is in the right location. I know of 2 properties in our village that have been for sale more than 5 years.